Ferts



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE.

MARSHALL o. LEFFERTS, o nnW-YoRK, N. Y.,,A1\'D JOHN -w. HYATT,-OF'

NEWARK,-NEW JERSEY, ss-muons rro THE GELLULOID MANUEAQTUR- meeo PA'nY, on NEW YORK, .N. Y. I

PRINTING ON pvn'oxvuu's COlVI POUNDS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 348,222. dated Augustin, 1886.

Applicatiqn filed December 24,1885. Serial no; 186.641. .(SpeclmensJ Jersey, both-citizens of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Art of Printingby Means of Plates upon Surfaces of Celluloid, &c., of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to an improvement in the art of printing, and more especially by means of engraved plates; and has for its object the employment of such plates in connection with a surface of vcelluloid or analogous.

compoundof pyroxyline. "In printing by means of plates upon such surfaces it has heretofore beenfound to be impossible to ob- 'taina permanent or satisfactory impression.

By means'of our improved process we'are eu-,

abled to not only obtain a permanent impression, but to produce-the most desirable results with the greatest ease.-

The distinctive novelty of our process consets in subjecting 'the pyroxylihe compound 5 to the action of heatand pressure'while in contact with the engraved plates, as hereinafi ter more fully described.

In'carrying out our process, it is desirable that the ink used be of such a nature thatit will exert under heat and pressure a softening or penetrating action upon the pyroxyline surface, so that the coloring matter it.contains will be forced. into or eflectually attached to. the material. Anyink that contains a solvent of pyroxyline may belused, but we'recommend the employment of an ink in which the coloring matter is in the form of a pigment and which also contains a binding agent forholding the particles of pigment together. The printing is performed by-preferencewith an" ordinary engraved plate and one having a highly-burnished surface, andzwe have found it is practicable-to make use. of plates in which the lines are of. the most delicate character and also plates having vplain surfaces, the design being transferred or applied thereto in any suitable manner If an engraved plate is to be used it will be inked and made ready in any convenient way according-to the method of the eng'ravers art, and, when desired, placed in contact with the pyrnxyline surface to be printedand the latter subjected to heat and'pressure, the heat to be from 180 to 230 Fahrenheit. and the pressure suflicient to cause the material to flow into. the engraved lines, which will be continued usually for about a minute, the heat and pressure being preferably applied to the material through the plate.

In printing upon sheets or other thin pieces of material we place the sheet to be treated in whatis known as asteam-table press. 1 with the surface of the sheet-that is to receive the impression. in contactflwith the ink-surface of the plate and apply the heatand pressure asaforesaid. If the sheet of material is exceptionally thin it will be desirable to back it up with a; layer or layers of blotting-paper or other elastic material, for the purpose of preventing'or correcting inaccuracies which are likely tobe 7.0 caused by any' inequalities in the plate or the sheet, and to prevent the sheet fromadhering to the backing a layer of any non-adhesive substance -such as metal or. tin foil-quay be interposed.- g

In treating thick sheets or piece's of material there is-danger of the heat, and pressure causing the material to flow,' which will cause the impression to be blurred or distorted. This danger we obviate by using adie or mold which conforms in shape to the thick sheet orpiece which is to-receive' thejimpressiomin whichthe material is closely and compactly; fitted, so that-its shape will'n'ot'be afiected by;-

the heat and pressure rand-the displacement of the surface to be printed upon prevented. Any 'die or'moldwhich will preventa change in the surface which carries the impression ma iybemadeuseof.- I 4 he printing may be accomplished i i-anyo other' substantial manner,.the essential con-- sideration being. the use of heat and pressure, substantially as-hereinbefore described; By applying heat'the'surface of the'pyr'oxyline compound is softened, and by means of the'95 pressure exerted thereon the material is caused to flow into the engraved lines in the plate. By such meansweare enabled to produce equal to those reduced upon paper.

upon the material used results in every way We do not imit our claim to a process in which any particular mechanism is used, nor to the employment of any particular-.(legree of heat and pressure; but

What we claim is- 1. In theart of printing from engraved plates upon celluloid or other pyrox yline compounds, the process, hercinhefore described, of produc- ,ing a permanent design or picture upon such material, which consists in subjecting the pyroxyline surface to the action of heat and pressure while in contact with the engraved plate.

2. The improvement in the-art of printing with engraved plates on surfaces of celluloid or other pyroxyline compounds, which consists in, first, taining or consisting of a solvent of pyroxyline and a. pigment, and, second, in subjecting the material to heat and pressure while in contact with-the inked plate.

Signed at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, this 22d day of December, A. D. 1885.

inking the plate with an ink con-' 

